Will consumers pay for new subscription-based podcasts?

People who listen to podcasts have come to expect advertisements throughout the show. Since most podcasts are available for free, these paid-advertisements are one of the main ways that podcast creators make money. Some podcast creators might also depend on donations from faithful listeners. However, Acast, a podcast app and ad network out of Sweden, is launching a new service that might bring in money in a different way. Acast+ will be a paid-subscription service for premium podcast content. The media is still new, but listenership is up in the United States. Approximately 17 percent of Americans over age 12 had listened to at least one podcast a month last year. However, some podcast creators worry that putting content behind a paywall will cause new listeners to turn away from podcasts as an entertainment form.